


the pull on my flesh is just too strong (it stifles the choice and the air in my lungs)

by phoebo



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Boys Being Boys, M/M, kind of texting fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-19
Updated: 2013-07-19
Packaged: 2017-12-20 16:43:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/889520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoebo/pseuds/phoebo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drunk texting his best friend, now miles and miles away, seemed an awfully great idea at the time.<br/>What the hell was he thinking? And why the hell didn't someone take his phone away from him, anyway?</p>
            </blockquote>





	the pull on my flesh is just too strong (it stifles the choice and the air in my lungs)

**Author's Note:**

> This is my poorly written attempt at fixing things between those two.  
> General notes: English is not my first language and this thing hasn't been beta'ed, so every mistake is mine.  
> Title from the song "Broken Crown" by Mumford & Sons.

He should have seen this coming. I mean, it was predictable, really. Pre season hasn't even started yet, training is hard, yes, sure, but tomorrow is Sunday and everyone is going to be home with the most epic hangover ever. And Marco is probably going to feel like hell, so he shouldn't be that surprised when he finally gets to his apartment, fumbles with the keys and throws himself on hid bed fidgeting with his phone.  
He goes through his messages folders, looking at every conversation he had in the past few days. The is an awful number of texts from Mats, mostly random sentences he doesn't care about, his mum asking him if he's ok, team mates complaining about the upcoming season, and then there's just one text from Mario, something poorly written and dry, not really what they are used to. It's like — he misses it, of course. He misses _him_ , mostly, but he's trying to make it work somehow. They are texting, yes, but it's different: when they were closer, both physically and mentally, they were constantly annoying each other with useless things and comically deep observations about the world. Or Kloppo's hair that day. Or the fact that Mario's mum is trying to set him up with some random girl, which happens at least twice a month, and the fact that said girl is really funny to look at, but not to date.  
So yeah, Marco misses his best friend, and he decides to text him.

(04:23)  
To: Mario  
do u remember our favorite bar down the road

(04:23)  
To: Mario  
the one with cheap drinks and drty toilests

(04:24)  
To: Mario  
guees what they closed it

(04:25)  
To: Mario  
im goin to miss it

(04:28)  
To: Mario  
im going to mis you too

He smiles looking at the screen, proud of himself, but then he realizes it's still-too-fucking-dark AM and he's drunk and this is definitely a bad idea. And Mario isn't going to answer anytime soon. He groans out loud and he doesn't even bother to undress himself. He falls asleep with his phone in his hand, his face deep into the soft pillow, missing.

***

Marco wakes up and he wants to die.  
There are a lot of things that aren't okay right now, and he feels like making a list.

First of all: he's fully dressed and his shirt is sticky with sweat and clenches his skin uncomfortably. Second of all: his mouth tastes like something died in there. Gross. And also pretty uncomfortable too. At last, but not least, he doesn't remember a thing. That, by the way, is a lie: he remembers his night out, Mats buying him drinks (that's kind of the problem — he can't remember how many he had), and then collapsing on his bed. But something is tickling the back of his mind and he wants to scratch that away, like he should know about something he did.  
He doesn't really know if he should ask Mats about it. Well, no, Mats is a pretty good idea: he always knows everything. He looks for his phone on his nightstand, but he doesn't find it. He gets up, massaging his temples with his hands, and stumbles upon his phone.

There are four unread messages. One is from his mum asking if he wants to come over for dinner tonight, one is from Mats whining about his headache, and then the last are from Mario.  
Marco whitens and he feels his head spinning and the whole room turning around him and he thinks oh God.

(09:15)  
From: Mario  
where u drunk texting me last night

(09:16)  
From: Mario  
or maybe i should say this morning

He scroll the conversation and he reads his own texts all over again, trying not to freak out because of that "im going to mis you too". What the hell was he thinking? And why the hell didn't someone take his phone away from him anyway?

(11:37)  
To: Mario  
I am so sorry, I hope I didn't wake you up.

He types fast, using capital letters and punctuation like he always does, trying to sound mature and sincerely sorry. He doesn't expect such a quick reply.

(11:39)  
From: Mario  
thats ok really

(11:39)  
From: Mario  
i mean i got drunk 2 here a coupleof times

Marco smiles and he doesn't hesitate a second before texting him back again.

(11:41)  
To: Mario  
I have the worst hangover ever, I swear

(11:43)  
From: Mario  
ur such a lightweight

(11:43)  
From: Mario  
cmon u are german u should drink beer like water

Marco actually rolls his eyes and remembers the night that Mario got so drunk he couldn't even stand on his own feet and he had to text his parents pretend it was him, convincing them that Mario was just going to spend the night at his flat. They fell asleep on Marco's bed giggling like hell and smelling of cheap drinks. It was four months ago, and things were so different from now.

(11:46)  
To: Mario  
Do I have to remind you the nature of your relationship with alcohol?

(11:47)  
From: Mario  
god stop typing like a 40 yrs old

(11:48)  
To: Mario  
I wish I could send you actual punctuation there in Monaco. Did you loose your commas and vocals during your journey?

(11:50)  
From: Mario  
i swear marco you sound like my dad

(11:51)  
From: Mario  
if my dad was 3 yrs older than me and annoying like you

(11:51)  
From: Mario  
omg i knew i wasn't his son he's ur dad!!!!!!!

(11:53)  
To: Mario  
Your six exclamation marks give me headache

(11:56)  
From: Mario  
cant believe you counted them!!!

(11:56)  
From: Mario  
they were 7 btw

(11:57)  
From: Mario  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(11:59)  
To: Mario  
I'm going to sober up and then drown myself into the shower, have a nice day

(12:01)  
From: Mario  
you cant drown urself into a shower u idiot

***

The problem is that he actually can't stop. It's monday and his phone has already happily ringed five times today, every single one because of Mario's utterly useless texts. And he can't help but text back. Mats look bored as hell after training, but Marco isn't giving him the attention he wants.

Mats is riding them both home, and Marco isn't saying a word, typing fast on his phone keyboard smiling softly every now and then. They arrive at Marco's, and Mats stops in from of his apartment. Marco is still texting, and he hasn't realized that he's arrived yet.  
He lifts his head and discovers that Mats is staring at him unimpressed.  
«Uh.» he says, grabbing his training bag. «Sorry, uhm.»  
«Whatever.» says Mats, rolling his eyes. «See you tomorrow. You owe me at least ten rides. Plus a dinner.»  
«Yeah, well, never.» laughs Marco, and enters his flat.

(16:48)  
From: Mats  
call me when you and your traitor boyfriend decide to elope

(16:50)  
To: Mats  
You're not funny

(16:50)  
To: Mats  
He's not my boyfriend btw

(16:51)  
From: Mats  
yeah whatevsss

(16:52)  
From: Mats  
still a traitor

(16:53)  
To: Mats  
You might have a point yeah

***

(9:26)  
From: Mario  
jeez that javi kid is such a freak

(9:34)  
To: Mario  
Don't you have training or something?

(9:45)  
From: Mario  
are you questioning great guardiolas methods

(9:47)  
To: Mario  
I would never

(9:49)  
From: Mario  
good ;)

(9:52)  
To: Mario  
I hate him so much

(9:56)  
From: Mario  
why

Marco doesn't answer that. He wants to say because he brought you away and because it's all his fault, but he guesses that Mario already knows that. He throws his phone back in his back and goes back to training.

***

It's day four of his endless texting session with Mario, but it's not like Marco is counting. Absolutely.  
The problem is that Mats is most definitely coating, and if he seemed pleased and amused by that, now he seems mostly annoyed and exasperated. So he studies a revenge, and he comes out with the idea of endlessly texting Marco himself.

(19:03)  
From: Mats  
heya

(19:04)  
From: Mats  
your phone bill is crying right now

(19:04)  
From: Mats  
you should stop texting

(19:05)  
To: Mats  
I'm play in first division football, i don't care about phone bill

(19:06)  
To: Mats  
Besides, texting me to keep me from texting Mario isn't exactly the most brilliant idea ever

(19:10)  
From: Mats  
shit youre right

(19:11)  
From: Mats  
still texting him arent you

(19:15)  
To: Mats  
I don't see the problem in doing so

(19:16)  
To: Mats  
He's not my boyfriend btw

(19:19)  
From: Mats  
R U KIDDING ME

(19:19)  
From: Mats  
sorry capslock broke

(19:21)  
To: Mats  
What do you mean by "are you kidding me"?

(19:23)  
From: Mats  
jfc marco ur really THAT blind

(19:23)  
From: Mats  
cant believe it

(19:24)  
From: Mats  
get your shit straight man

(19:25)  
From: Mats  
lol poor choice of words loooool

(19:27)  
To: Mats  
What the hell are you talking about

(19:27)  
To: Mats  
Mats

(19:28)  
To: Mats  
Fuck you

***

Marco wonders if he should feel bad texting his mom for advice. He figures out that calling her would be too embarrassing, and that's what mothers are for, right? Right.

(21:24)  
To: Mom  
Hi mom, what do you do when you don't know if you like someone but even if you do there are really really slim chances that said person likes you back?

The reply comes half an hour late, and Marco doesn't really know what the hell is doing with his life.

(21:52)  
From: Mom  
Hi sweetheart just bring her on a date and have fun and try to figure out if you like her! and if she likes you back use a condom and be safe xx

Yeah, right, really helpful. Use a condom. Like it would make the difference. He remembers that time Mario came over at his parent's house and laughed with his mother and he called her "amazing". He wonders what he would say right now.  
He's just— he's really confused. Like, it may not be the right moment to have a huge gay freak out over his (ex?) best friend who now lives miles and miles away and yeah, he could use a better timing in his life.  
In that exact moment, his phones rings again and he opens the new text.

(21:58)  
From: Mario  
<3 :)

He's so, gloriously screwed.

***

(20:14)  
From: Mario  
what should i wear tonight

(20:15)  
To: Mario  
How am I supposed to tell you if I don't know what are you doing?

(20:16)  
From: Mario  
jeez ur right

(20:19)  
To: Mario  
Do you have a date?

(20:20)  
From: Mario  
kind of

(20:23)  
To: Mario  
Don't wear your yellow shirt

(20:24)  
From: Mario  
oh god i love you thanks

Marco wants to die.

***

Mario doesn't text him today, and Marco would really like to feel relieved but he doesn't. Part of him really wants to know how the sort-of-a-date went, and part of him wants to curl in his bed crying with Mats about how cruel life is. Unfortunately, he doesn't get to choose, because it's friday and there's still training and he doesn't need an angry Kloppo shouting at him for five hours.  
He gets home early, and when Mats asks him if he wants to hang out with them tonight he declines politely. He takes a long, hot shower, checks his phone twice a minute, and orders take away Chinese to eat in from of his television. He falls asleep on his during a shitty romantic comedy, his phone tucked behind his back.

***

(02:45)  
From: Mario  
the date sucked really

(02:45)  
From: Mario  
i miss u so frkin much

(02:47)  
From: Mario  
come 2 munich if they dnt want u ill pay for ur transfer

(02:48)  
From: Mario  
its not that i dont like it thre but i want u there

(02:51)  
From: Mario  
i want u full stop

(02:52)  
From: Mario  
its so hard to tpye on this phone god

(03:15)  
From: Mario  
i love you

***

At eleven o'clock in the mooring, Marco Reus is getting in his car very much not ready for a six hour drive to Munich.

***

He stares at the door for a couple of seconds. The he rings the bell because fuck it, he came here for a reason. He hears footsteps and his stomach makes a strange jump, and he's so not ready for this, whatever this is.

Mario opens the door and he looks like a little tornado stumbled upon him: his hair is a mess, he's wearing an old t-shirt and his running shorts. He swallows, hard.  
«Hi.» he says, and it comes out strangled.  
«Hi.» says Marco, but it sounds more like a whine. He walks in, then, because he honestly can't stan waiting out in the afternoon glow like this, adrenaline rushing in his veins and breath stuck in his throat.  
Marco closes the door and looks at him in the eyes like it takes all of energies away.  
«Listen, I am sorry for drunk texting you last night, I shouldn't have—»  
Marco interrupts him. «Did you mean it?»  
Mario looks at him like he's sorry. «Yes but you could just have called, I could have explained you, you shouldn't have drive—» and Marco interrupts him again, this time pressing his lips on Mario's quickly and just for a second. Mario looks at him again and Marco can't read his expression, not now, but then Mario kisses him first and it's so different thank he had imagined.

It's frantic and messy and he throws himself in it completely, with teeth and tongue and hands wandering all over Mario's torso until he pushes him against the closed door, pressing his whole body into his.  
«Is this okay?» he asks in-between kisses, Mario's hand coming to curl at the base of his neck holding onto his hair.  
«Yes, yes,» Mario whispers, out of breath, «more than ok.»  
Marco wants to laugh but his mouth is quite occupied at the moment to he kisses him again instead, and somehow they end up on Mario's couch and he has lost his t-shirt long ago.  
It's an entirely new thing for him and it's so different than kissing a girl because Mario answers the kiss with the same strength and determination as him, and his hands are strong and his lines flat and his bones collides harshly with his and tomorrow he's going to have bruises everywhere, like he fought a battle (it feels like he has, somehow).

And that's it, really, they end up kissing for hours and whispering each other things that they both pretend they forget but they don't, they keep those murmurs and whispers on their skin and Marco feels warm and home for the first time.

***

Sometime later, when it's dark outside and they are curled up in Mario's bed and both asleep, Marco's phone rings and he just ignores it. But then it keeps going and he figures out that someone might me calling him, and then he realizes he hasn't even told anyone that he had come to Munich. He honestly doesn't even care.  
He picks up his phone and Mario groans beside him, not quite pleased with the fact that someone woke him up.  
Marco reads the name on the display and rolls his eyes.

«Mats.» he says, sounding sleepy.  
«What the hell, Marco? Where are you? You are not home and you didn't answer my call! Where the fuck—»  
«I don't think that's any of your business.» he says, giggling a little.  
«Not my business? Are you kidding me? I was scared as fuck and you didn't even—» he keeps going like that for minutes, until Mario steal the phone from Marco's hands and starts speaking to Mats.  
«Mats? Hey, I'm Mario. Do us a favor and go to sleep.»  
«Mario? What the fuck? Are you—» but Mario hangs up right then. Then he kissed Marco lazily and with a lot of tongue, and goes back to sleep. Marco smiles in the dark, holding his hand.

(00:11)  
From: Mats  
huhuhuhu marco's getting laid

(00:13)  
From: Mats  
i hate you both you fuckers


End file.
